It’s been such a long time I’ve been wondering with this latest product from SK-II since there are numbers of reviews saying that this one is really good and satisfying. Last month, I finally decided to buy SK-II Pitera Essence Set. I once decided not to buy the 215 ml FTE right away worrying that it would not suit to my skin. Besides, for me Pitera Essence Set is sold in an affordable price, so I have nothing to lose if this FTE doesn’t give the result as I expected. Yeah, I bought this SK-II from one of beauty e-commerce in which there are three products in one pack of Pitera Essence Set, to include Facial Treatment Clear Lotion, Facial Treatment Essence, and Facial Mask. When it ran out and did suit to my skin, I realized I should just buy it directly from the nearest SK-II counter. Although I bought one package, I only use the Facial Treatment Essence so far and haven’t tried both the clear lotion nor the facial mask. I think it’s better for me to try each separately rather than try them all at the same time, since I worried to get a bad breakout if only there is one of each that doesn’t really suit to my skin. So my review is only about the Facial Treatment Essence :)

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence contains 90% of Pitera which is able to regenerate skin. This FTE is provided also with Vitamin, Amino Acid, Mineral, and Organic Acid to create more nourished and brightened skin.

I divide my review into four parts starting from the first week application up to the result after one month using. Keep reading!

Week 1. Day 1 to 7: The first day, I applied SK-II FTE in the evening, around 21.00 PM. I thought I also needed to do such habits which can support in boosting my skin’s health so I can get the optimal result from this FTE usage. That is how, I always avoid sleep too late (maximum is 23.00 PM) and drink much mineral water.

I put some of FTE liquid onto my palm, followed by applying on to my face by patting it on gently. This FTE quickly absorbs to the skin, so I don’t need to wait long to apply the night cream. I slept at 21.30 PM and when I woke up in the morning, I directly got up to see my face at the mirror wondering how the result would be after the FTE overnight usage. Umm, an overnight usage of this FTE hadn’t given my face any effect because I would be even frightened if it did. I only found a few differences on my skin which was more soft and moisturized. Maybe after one week usage, I thought back then.

Day-7, I was pretty excited with the result this essence gave to my skin. Besides making my skin softer, I also felt that it made my skin more elastic and fresh. Not only that, my skin became brighter than before. Honestly, I didn’t have much problems with my face. Besides not having much problems with acnes, the tone of my skin was also even, even though it wasn’t really bright. Let’s say, bright brown. Thus, however, little did I have, my skin was once really dry, so sometimes I felt dehydrated and easily got dull.

WEEK 2. Day 14: I noticed, that my face hasn’t got much changes. My face remained the same just like the first week I used FTE. Yeah, but I felt quite different after I cleaned up my face. I felt like smiling even seemed a bit stiff and uncomfortable because of the dry skin. After two-weeks using this SK-II FTE, it was really comfortable on my skin everytime after I finished cleaning up my face. It felt soft, moisturized, and also brighter. I was satisfied and I also continued to use FTE.

WEEK 3. Day 21: I started to feel much more comfortable with this FTE. Besides it kept my skin moisturized, my skin was not only brighter but also glowed. And when I applied my make up, it lasted for a very long time. Yeay!

WEEK 4. Day 28: Taraaaa! Welcome my new skin! I really love this FTE! The RESULT is, my skin becomes 50% better (brighter & smoother) than before!After one month, I really got the benefits of FTE. Not only moisturized, but my skin also became softer, and more elastic, this also even the tone of my skin, 50%! I was a bit worried of my skin tone, especially around my nose, and perhaps it would take months to get the even skin tone. But for me, this is excellent enough! I’m getting interested to use the other series of SK-II product.

For you who doubt in using FTE, I think this is worth to try and you’ve got nothing to lose. This is very friendly, it suits for all of skin types, not creating any breakout. Moreover, it appeared only three small acnes on my forehead, which means it wasn’t frightening! Hahaha. There are some reviews I’ve read that this FTE can also be used as facial mask and able to reduce acnes. Put some FTE drops onto the cotton, and apply to your face, just like when you commonly use any other masks. I haven’t tried this method before, but I will try it in a short time and wondering about the result (plus I can also give a review of Facial Mask product from Pitera Essence Set I’ve bought) :))

Okay, that’s a wrap! This is the end of the review about SK-II FTE and i hope you can share your experience too!

(my first selfie experience after a month i’ve been using this SK-II FTE)

Have a good weekend!

Warmest regards,

]]>https://syulette.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/1799/
Fri, 30 Sep 2016 02:07:37 +0000syulettehttps://syulette.wordpress.com/2016/09/30/1799/I have a few beauty/ skincare products that I’d be more than happy to review.

1. Lucas’ Papaw Ointment

2. SKII Facial Treatment Essence

3. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser

4. Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair

5. Nano White Fresh Mattifying Moisturizer

Which one of these should I review first?

Help this girl decide, please.

]]>https://vignette89.wordpress.com/2016/07/02/herbivore-lapis-oil-facial-balancing-oil/
Sat, 02 Jul 2016 01:36:39 +0000sookrihttps://vignette89.wordpress.com/2016/07/02/herbivore-lapis-oil-facial-balancing-oil/Hi all! Been a while since I’ve last posted a review. I’ve been following your posts all these time so given the little pocket of time I can find in the middle of sorting out my home renovation, am doing a post of a product that I’ve used this year.

This is a product that I have purchased from Sephora USA using Ezbuy (formerly known as 65daigou). The product is priced at around USD72 for 1.2oz.

About the Brand

From Herbivore website: “We bring you truly natural, cruelty free skincare that provides results you can see and feel. We also believe skincare should smell and feel amazing and add enjoyment to your daily routine.” Products are handcrafted and produced in small quantities. In a way, you can consider this as boutique brand that is only available for sale online. Currently this brand cannot be found in Singapore.

About the Product

The product aims to reduce redness and to bring balance to the skin moisture. Ingredients include blue tansy which is also the key component for the highly raved Blue Cocoon by May Lindstrom. Other oil ingredients in this product includes Kukui Nut Oil (high in Linoleic Acid, good for acne prone skin) and Jojoba Oil (fairly balanced ratio between Oleic and Linoleic Acids). Coconut Oil can also be found in this product though if you have acne prone skin, this may or may not be of concern because it depends on the ratio that Coconut Oil is used in this product. The texture of the oil is thin and runny, and it has a blue tinge due to Blue Tansy.

Using this Product

I had used this product for 2 months. It was light and absorbed well. I had used this right after toning my skin. Each time, I will use between 4 drops (for day) to 5 drops (for night). However, I did notice that the oil does not stay on well in humid Singapore because of, hence my skin will still feel dry after 4 hours in air-conditioned environment. As such, I will recommend to only pat on this oil after your usual moisturizer if you are going to be in the air-conditioned room for a full day. Personally I will recommend used of powder sunblock instead of emulsion based sunblock after patting on this oil as powder sunblock should stay on better. I have not tried this product in dry temperate countries, but the reviews for this oil has been rather good. In terms of bringing down redness, I would say that SKII Facial Treatment Essence delivers a much quicker effect (its like in 3 secs I see the redness disappear after patting on the lotion). This oil may not bring about as visible effect or as quickly. Hydration wise, I like this oil for night application and it does make my skin appear smoother the next day (not that the acne disappear but just that the rough skin seems to smoothen out).

Buying this Product

I will consider buying this product again for the hydration – though fact is a bottle will last a long time since only a few drops are used at a time. After 2 months, my bottle still seems like I’ve only a reasonably small fraction of the bottle. You can purchase this product directly from Herbivore Beauty website or from Sephora USA website. For those of you who want to try out the product before buying full size, you can order the rollerball version to test the product.

]]>https://mrsmilafrz.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/review-skii-facial-treatment-essence-after-3weeks-uses/
Thu, 31 Dec 2015 06:34:36 +0000Mila Frzhttps://mrsmilafrz.wordpress.com/2015/12/31/review-skii-facial-treatment-essence-after-3weeks-uses/https://pashatama.wordpress.com/2015/11/26/3403/
Thu, 26 Nov 2015 09:20:42 +0000Pashatamahttps://pashatama.wordpress.com/2015/11/26/3403/https://limweisong.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/
Tue, 10 Nov 2015 12:51:43 +0000limw785https://limweisong.wordpress.com/2015/11/10/sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/One of the products that I use as part of my daily routine to combat the signs of aging, acne, and scarring is SK-II’s facial treatment essence or “miracle water”. To my knowledge, the men’s version is only available in the Asia region, so if you’re in Europe or NA, then you might want to ask a friend to bring it over for you. The retail price here in Hong Kong is HKD1,160 for the 215mL bottle. The essence comes in a glass bottle (for the premium price) so you want to be careful where you place it because if it falls, it will break.

How do I use the facial treatment essence?

After using the cleanser, toner, and mask (the products will be talked about on another posting), I pour roughly 6-7 drops of the essence onto the palm of one of my hands. Then I rub both hands together to ensure the essence is all over my hands, then gently pat the essence onto my face until the essence has dried and been absorbed.

Any differences observed?

Apart from the more ‘masculine’ bottle, a key difference of SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence for Men versus the normal Treatment Essence is the addition of Menthol for Men. When using the men’s version, I felt my face to have a more refreshed feeling when compared to using the normal facial treatment essence that SK-II originally launched (been using it for a short while only). But other than that, both versions of the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence contain 90% of Pitera (SK-II’s trademark), and cost the same.

Although the price is the same, I recommend to purchase it at Hong Kong’s DFS stores since you’d also be able to collect points on your DFS member card for future purchases as opposed to purchasing it at the SK-II store.

Side note: The normal facial treatment essence can also be used for Men, it’s not just for women.

]]>https://deszell.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/back-to-basic-sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/
Sun, 04 Oct 2015 16:40:26 +0000deszellhttps://deszell.wordpress.com/2015/10/04/back-to-basic-sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/I have been a real SK-II follower at one period of my life. I think that was when I had my fresh grad job. My aunt introduced me to the brand, she bought a set that she didn’t like and gave it to me and I’ve been in love ever since.I like the whole Japanese Skincare philosophy and it’s also one of the brands that make me research deeper into the east way of skincare ritual and philosophy. How their approach are sometimes different and even the product.

If you’re looking for an information regarding SK-II, I’ve written plenty of very informative articles regarding this brand on Female Daily. Please do a search on ‘SK-II’ I tagged them well so you’re not going to have a hard time doing a search. In my years as Editor, the SK-II campaign is one of the most fulfilling campaigns that I did because I truly believe in their product and I know that they’re good.

So, I thought since I’ve just started again using the ever so popular SK-II Facial Treatment Essence I’ll do an article about the what and how of this product.

When you’re thinking about purchasing this product here’s what you need to know.

This is a pre-essence. Which means this is not a toner nor hydrating toner. It’s another step in the skincare ritual.

It’s best to use this with a cotton pad, because the Japanese love to use a really thin watery products with cotton pad and sort of tap tap tap it into the skin so the product really absorb. Letting it air dry will not maximise the absorption of the product.

If you’re combining this with another SK-II toner, say Clear Lotion or Cellumination Mask-in-Lotion, use this after after the toner.

The after/before toner shindig could be confusing. You just need to ask the brand because they know best. In Korean brand, most of the pre-essence are used prior to lotion because their lotion is thick and you don’t need cotton pad. Whereas the texture of the pre-essence is finer, so you want to use the pre-essence first before lotion. But it’s not the case with SK-II. But if you’re using thicker texture toner/lotion, that you don’t need a cotton pad to apply it, you might want to use the SK-II FTE first followed by the thick lotion. Play it by ear, what works best for you is what’s best.

This is not magic! But it does help to boost your skin at the cellular level so whatever you’re using next will be working better. It’s like having a F1 driver for your car (the serum).

If you experience purging/negative reaction for more than a week, I don’t think this is for you. Let it go. Move on.

Purging is not a good thing after a week, it’s your skin cry for help!

If you’ve been using this ALONE, and it doesn’t work, HELLO! Need I say more? Again this is skincare product, not magic, people!

Oh, you use your acid toner, hydrating toner followed by FTE. If that’s not clear already.

I’m sorry that I write in dot point form, broken sentences and all. I really wanna write something since I’ve been neglecting the blog but I have very little energy left. Good night!

]]>https://floranze.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/pitera-at-home-and-in-the-pocket/
Tue, 11 Aug 2015 06:26:46 +0000missfloranzehttps://floranze.wordpress.com/2015/08/11/pitera-at-home-and-in-the-pocket/Hi, how are we all doing? I hope we are all well. I am so excited as I am having 3 days off as of today and it will get very busy next week and such.

I want to share with you all my holy grail aka all time favourite. My skin gets crazy and sensitive as I age. (Just turned 26) 🙊 the cold wind in melbourne does not help and the harsh weather plus heating/air conditioning does not help either. I get dry skin during winter and combination skin in summer. I do not really like to change my skincare products every season as I like to finish up a product and move on.

I have been using SKII for the past few years and I can see significant changes on my skin. However, as I was trying to explore other brands, I have stopped using Some products from SKII as I was trying out other products, but at the end of the day, I will always come back to it.

SKII’s facial treatment essence, one of their best selling products. It is
✔️enriched with Pitera
✔️light weight, easily absorbed compared to other essence that I have used in the past
✔️can be used near the eye area
✔️instant hydration.
✔️brightens skin

This is my countless bottles of FTE and I am never going to stop using it from now onwards.

SKII’s mid day miracle essence. It is a new product launched this year, I initially didn’t want to buy it as I thought it is similar with FTE, well, yes and no. It contains MoistureLock complex in fine particles that can penetrate through your make up and lock in moisture. Guess what, I brought it to taiwan(hot and humid) and my make up stayed all day. I used it in melbourne(cold and dry), I can feel that my skin is hydrated at the end of the day. I use it to set my make up sometimes but other times I will use it as a hydrating mist.

SKII’s mid night Miracle essence is another to buy product. It’s such a shame that it was launched a bit later in Australia, it was launched the same time in Asia if I am not mistaken. I hesitated a while before buying this product as it has some cooking effect like the FTE for men but after a while, I have decided to buy it due to the following reasons.
✔️MoistureLock complex is able to lock in moisture.
✔️cooling agent to refresh our skin at night after being exposed to environmental stress during the day.

Thanks for reading.
XOXO

]]>https://velvetpop.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/new-skincare-regime/
Fri, 10 Jul 2015 23:16:59 +0000N.Qaiyimahhttps://velvetpop.wordpress.com/2015/07/11/new-skincare-regime/I’m at the point where I am past the makeup obsession and I’m now obsessing about my skin because who am I trying to fool; I am aging slowly and so is my skin! I still can’t believe I am just 3 years away from turning the big three-o! So in view of all that, I’m trying to achieve a near flawless skin so that makeup for me will be just to enhance my features and look like a rockstar on special occasions but at the same time, I will still be able to go out feeling confident sans makeup. No need for powder nor foundation. No need for concealers nor highlighters. Just a fuss-free 5 minute routine (who wants to wake up early just to prep to go to work! I wanna maximise my sleeping time!) before heading out.

I started on a new skincare regime about 2 weeks back but let’s start from way before that….

Old regime 1Step 1: Garnier 3 in 1 Facial Wash-Scrub-Mask

I’ve been using this for the longest time because I totally love the Pumice Stone that comes with it! It makes me feel that I’m scrubbing away crap off my face after every wash and my face feel squeaky clean. I even have one bottle stashed at work because my face gets so oily despite being in aircon the entire time at work. And each time it gets too oily, I will wash my face – roughly about 2-3 times on top of the twice daily routine. Yes, I know it’s a bad habit to strip my face of the oil; more oil will be produced, making my face oilier! But I can’t help it…! I seldom use it as a mask though.

Step 2: THERE IS NO STEP 2!!
I don’t use anything after this. I’d just slap on my eyeliner, mascara and lipstick and colour in my brows and I’m good to go. No toner, no moisturizer, no sunblock. Nothing! Face – oily.

Then I slept over my cousin’s place and I used one of her facial cleansers & I fell in love with the product so….

Old regime 2Step 1: Liquid Neutrogena Pure Mild Facial Cleanser

I have no reason for a using a mild cleanser (I don’t have breakouts nor huge zits), other than loving the feeling post-cleansing – my skin feel cleansed but not squeaky clean so I guess it’s good cause it doesn’t strip my face bare to the core.

Step 2: Neutrogena Alcohol-Free Toner

Absolutely love the toner – especially the smell. It feels so light and my skin feels supple and ready to go after a min!

Regime 2 still doesn’t help much in oil department. My face has got to be one of the oiliest in the history! One good thing out of it is that, maybe I won’t get wrinkles easily, right? Anyways, this regime does no change to my complexion as well. Everything still feels the same. Not that my skin is in bad condition but rather, it’s at the stagnant stage where I thought this is the best my skin and my complexion can ever be.

So then… One of the BTB blogged about Hada Labo’s Whitening Lotion and she swears by it. So I succumbed and bought it during Guardian’s buy 2 get 1 free promo (I got the face wash too!) – which by the way, is still ongoing until 31 July this year!

New regimeStep 1: Hada Labo Oil Control Face Wash

It does it work, I guess? The only complain I have is the consistency! It’s super runny! I don’t even need to squeeze the tube to get the product out. I just tip it and it will flow out. It’s not like water or anything but definitely waaaaay thinner than the usual facial washes I’ve used. So much so that the first time I used it, I actually wasted quite a bit of the product! But after knowing it after a wash or 2, you’ll get the hang of getting the product out without any wastage.

Step 2: Hada Labo Arbutin Whitening Lotion

Don’t be fooled by the word lotion. The consistency is far from a lotion! The consistency is like water actually so I use it as a toner, as many other people are doing. I must say, this product is quite appealing to me. Fragrance free – checked! Alcohol free – checked! Skin pH balanced – checked! And most importantly, whitening properties – checked! So far, I don’t have any complains about this product. Maybe it takes slightly a little bit longer to get absorbed by the skin but hey, time is nothing for a beautiful skin, right?

And last but not least, after maybe 3 or 4 years of contemplating on the next product, I finally bought it!

Step 3: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

Yes, I’ve finally jumped onto the much-raved FTE bandwagon! I’ve always been very skeptical when a product gets overhyped that I don’t know whether is it reeeeeeally true or just a gimmick, especially when it’s expensive. But I guess that 3-4 years worth of contemplating is finally over! What can I say about this product except it’s been wonderful! The smell that people have been ranting about isn’t as bad as how people makes it to be, really. Also dries quick enough. 2 weeks in, I feel that my skin is a lot better. My oiliness has reduced significantly to the point that I don’t feel the need to wash my face 2-3 times at work anymore. I would just splash water on my face and I feel fresh and clean.

This review above by someone at a local forum takes the words out of my mouth! I totally agree about the waking up with a matte face. I would normally wake up with suuuuper oily face and I’m not even exaggerating! But eversince I used this, I wake up with a totally matte face! Not oily, but matte! Can you believe it? I am so in awe!! I don’t know if I wanna credit it to the FTE or HL’s Oil Control Face Wash & Whitening Lotion so I googled and found that review above so I could happily say that this matte outcome is FTE’s work! Not only that, my dark circles have significantly reduced and my skin looks supple. It has already given me that glow that people have been raving about, the healthy dewy glow you see those korean actresses have, not the oily glow. Every now and then, I would admire my skin at work in disbelief (oops, guilty!) My freckles (I only have it on my right side and I have no idea why!) right beneath my dark circle is still present but I have high hopes that it will reduce in colour soon enough!

All in all, I would say that these 3 products in my new skincare regime have been working great for me and I have a feeling that I will be using this new regime for a long long time!

Here’s to trying to achieve a healthy skin and feeling pretty without the need for foundation/powder/concealer!

P.S1. I naturally have oily skin.2. My skin is not classified as sensitive.3. I seldom have zits, let alone breakouts.So if you have sensitive skin, do approach trying these products with caution, especially SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence because I’ve read stories about people breaking out like mad, even those who never ever have breakouts.4. It took me an hour to churn out this post! Hahahhaha…

For those with sensitive skin, my advice is to STAY AWAY. I have Rosacea and it’s one of the worst decisions I’ve made for my skin.

The scent is strong and a little putrid, with over 90% Pitera in the product. Very watery texture, and goes on just like a toner. I take a few drops in my palm and pat it all over, before applying my moisturiser one minute later.

I didn’t notice a significant difference upon putting it on, and thought to give it a few days to work it’s magic. And boy, I did see some significant changes to my complexion…. in terms of increasing redness, small bumps all over and the much dreaded whiteheads popping up in random places!

Horrified, I went to research on other people’s experience and many stated that they do experience some purging and the way is to persevere and trust it to do it’s magic. So I layed off the FTE till my skin got back to normal and started on it again. 5 days later, the exact same thing happened…. Meh.

My skin is itchy (where is the moisturising effect?!), red and broken out. This FTE was really a waste of my time and I’m quite disappointed to be honest. So sensitive skintypes, I’d recommend to give this a miss, or at least try the sample before committing to the whole bottle.

]]>https://thelifestylemonolog.com/2015/07/08/beauty-sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/
Wed, 08 Jul 2015 09:00:50 +0000karinamandalahttps://thelifestylemonolog.com/2015/07/08/beauty-sk-ii-facial-treatment-essence/SK II is definitely one of the brand that I’ve been wanting to try but a little too sceptical to actually buy one. Few years ago, when I first heard about this, it was a little pricey especially for a university student who struggles with buying food in the first place.

Fast forward to few months ago, I met up with the amazing beauty/skincare/lifestyle blogger, Simon, check out his amazing blog The Skincare Obsessive. He raved about the SKII Facial Treatment Essence and their facial mask, since I trust his world of knowledge, I browse David Jones for a possible introductory pack. Good thing it was close to Mother’s Day and I was able to find this,

I used the Facial Treatment Mask and I was gobsmacked at how quickly this stuff works! The consistency of the essence is quite thick, like a Nickelodeon slime to be honest. But I put them on my face at night, left it on overnight. The next morning, my skin looks fresh and the mask managed to calm few inflamed hormonal acne on my jawline. The pack of 6 masks in David Jones is AUD$140.00, will repurchase when I remember to do so next time.

Now this, if this run out, as I type this, I am on half a bottle left, I will run to the store and immediately grab myself a new bottle. I am tempted to get one now just in case.

So much has been written about the SK II Facial Treatment Essence (AUD$100 for 75ml), whether its good or bad review, personally if you have the money to purchase I recommend anyone to give it a go.

After using them for few months, I can see the difference on my skin. A more even skintone, brighter complexion and general improvement of my pigmentation. I will definitely continue my use of this essence, the longer I use them, the better my skin looks and feels.

Have anyone else try this SKII Essence? Or any other ones that have worked wonders? Do let me know below 😊

They have created an itch deep inside each & every female one way or another; but that itch is easily ignored with their price tags.

It’s pretty obvious that the marketing & pricing of SK-II products are aimed to make females desire for them.

How? Well, quite simple- if you look properly.
They constantly tell you- YES, MY PRODUCT IS THAT AWESOME! Just look at all those gorgeous celebrities with skin that you’ll kill for! Then THEY MAKE IT NOT-SO-EASILY ACCESSIBLE, with both pricing & locality. There’s a reason why SK-II is available only at its own shops at departmental stores and in beauty shops like Sephora. Not in your neighbourly Watson’s.

Alright, so lets get down to it. ;)

I dedicated one full month of basic skincare to the 2 babies you see on top.(The Facial Treatment Essence doesn’t look too used because I received a small bottle as a gift, so I finished up that one and moved on full-sized one!)

What I wanted to know was:

Are the products good?

If they are, are they good on independently? Or do they rely on each other?

To find this out, I planned out my month as such:

First 2 weeks: Using both products together

3rd week: Using only Facial Treatment Gentle Cleanser with another moisturiser

Which is SUPER important to me. My skin doesn’t agree with several things- it’s almost as spoiled a brat as I am.

For my skin not to go complaining by literally making me look bad is a huge thing.

Easy To Use

via cass–ainsworth.tumblr.com

Now some of you might be all- “Hello, are difficult is it to use a facial cleanser & moisturiser?”

You’re right, it’s no rocket science. But ever had those facial cleansers that didn’t lather too well? Or even those moisturisers that required a mirror to make sure you applied it properly?

The SK-II set wasn’t anything like that. If anything, the cleanser lathered very well without being overly soapy. And because the essence is water-based, it was super easy! I would just pour some into my palm and dap-dap-dap!

Absorbs Pretty Quickly

via miraclehuman.tumblr.com

This applies mainly to the moisturiser.

When a product is water-based, it doesn’t necessarily mean that it absorbs quickly. But this one did! :) I was super pleased.

A Bit Of A Nasty Smell

via miraclehuman.tumblr.com

Well, more of the essence- it had this slight stench that left some to be desired… The cleanser wasn’t too bad. I guess because it doesn’t stay on your face long enough.

But yea, they aren’t exactly high on the score for scent.

The Essence Left A Bit Of Stickiness

via clickypix.com

Hardly welcomed, especially in Singapore’s humid weather. So I guess you have to be careful not to apply too much and really dap it into the skin. I realised it helps.

On days when I just apply the essence and stay at home in an air-conditioned room, I can feel the stickiness a little. Albeit on days when I head out and apply BB Cream over it- then no, you won’t feel the stickiness.

Overall I Saw My Skin Improve Slightly

via jedimasterlvg.tumblr.com

To be fair, it was only 2 weeks. For the skin to really show results, you’d might need to do this religiously for at least a month.

So in my opinion, it’s actually quite impressive. ;)

It doesn’t do any form of tightening for my skin, but it really did leave it quite smooth.

I don’t know if it’s because my other moisturisers are good stuff- but definitely didn’t really need the essence! Probably also because the cleanser does such a good job, other moisturisers can be absorbed better to do their thang.

My skin was actually happily smooth all the way; but after about 3 days, I could sense a slight drop in the texture in my skin. :( But it wasn’t anything drastic, really. It just went down a little.

With Only The Essence, My Skin Wasn’t That Great

via s1012.photobucket.com

Maybe because more time went by from the time I used both products together- but with solely the essence, my skin went straight back to the way it was before the whole SK-II jazz.

Okay, here’s my verdict.

Ahem. Overall the set is great & albeit advertisements did exaggerate quite a bit- but hey, they’re advertisements. Take them with buckets of salt.

I have some girlfriends who told me the essence worked wonders for them, while some were with me on the cleansers. And there are some lucky bitches who get perfect skin with the set. *rolls eyes*

Most probably I’ll just be sticking to the cleanser, until I find something better. The essence will be used as moisturiser for those nights when I’m feeling too tired to properly apply a mask or whatever.

I feel that if you really want to try the whole SK-II thing, you can try out this set. There’s no real harm- and even though it can be a tad pricey, it does last a long time! :) And from there you can see which combination works for you.

It definitely isn’t a holy grail for me, so I’m still on the lookout. But pretty good stuff nonetheless. ;)

P.S. For those who are keen on trying the products out, you can try to buy from Best Buy World! Pretty good prices there. <3 You’re welcome! :D

]]>https://jessyibrahim.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/my-sk-ii-experience-review/
Wed, 01 Apr 2015 08:56:27 +0000Jessy Ibrahimhttps://jessyibrahim.wordpress.com/2015/04/01/my-sk-ii-experience-review/
It’s been almost a year I’ve been using SK II. Last March, I’d just emptied my second set of SK II Pitera Essence Set. So in this post, I wanna share my personal and honest opinion about my experience using SK II since June 2014 and my experience testing my skin with SK II Magic Ring Test.

When I repurchased my 2nd box of Pitter Set, I was intending to test my skin again with SK II Magic Ring Test. Of course to see how much improvement I’ve got. If you read on my previous post about how I finally deciding to try SK II, you’ll know that my first Magic Ring test result was one year older – I was 25 years old, and my skin age was 26 years old – scary huh? My first Magic Ring Test happened few months to go to my 25th birthday on October 2014. When I did my SK II Magic Ring Test again on November 2014, my skin age result was…. 25 years old. – only 1 year improvement in 5 months, I was kinda expect more :|

This is how my skin and my SK II Magic Ring Test result on November 2014 :

From pictures above, you can see my best score is in texture department, yay! But the worst is in Spot Control :(

SK II beautician told me that dark spots are triggered by sun exposure. Well in my case, I guess, my dark spot also supported by my post acne inflammatory pigmentation. You know post acne spot which at first it was red or pink then later become brown then deeper brown. It takes weeks even months for this pigmented spots to heal :( Well, I have hormonal problem, so I often have acne on my face. To overcome my facial-spot-problem, SK II beautician suggested me to use SK II’s other product, which unfortunately I forgot the name :D I didn’t intended to buy it directly though, since it’s expensive – obviously :D – and I thought that I need to do more research about everything I need to improve from that result first.

Jessy’s Tips:When testing your skin using SK II Magic Ring Test, especially for those whose face has moles or birthmark, make sure the beautician select area to test excluding your moles or birthmark. A week after my first SK II usage on June 2014, I went to SK II counter to get another Magic Ring Test. My moles were selected in the area that tested, and the result was worst — 27 years old — with even worst score on spot department :(

Anyway, to sum up everything, here I write down some QnA about my experience using SK II:

What is Facial Treatment Essence? How does it work?
Essence is a formula that has active ingredients in it, which in SK II Facial Treatment Essence (FTE) is Pittera. Well actually Pittera is containing in all SK II’s products but the largest quantity is in Facial Treatment Essence (95%). Pittera is SK II’s trade mark active ingredients that formulated from special yeast fermentation. The function of essence is to balance and to renew the skin. It’s also prep the skin for other treatment I’ll put on top of it. So the skin can lock and absorb moisturizer and other treatment on top of it better.

How do I use it?
I pour few drops of Facial Treatment Lotion on a cotton pad, then pad all over the face. Followed by another few drops, I usually go by 2-3 drops, of SK II Facial Treatment Essence on a cotton pad, but usually on my hands, then pad gently my face including eye area. When using clean hands, let warmth of the hand set the product on to the skin. When using cotton pads, let the pads compress area that needs more attention. I do these steps twice a day. And always remember to use clean hands!

How long does a box of SK II Pittera Essence Set last?
the 75ml SK II Pittera Essence last for 5 months, the 30ml SK II Facial Clear Treatment Lotion about 3 months. But it depend on your quantity per usage.

How I treat my acne and dark-post-acne-inflammatory-pigmentation using SK II?
I usually soak cotton pads with SK II Facial Treatment Essence then compress area that need more treatment like my swollen acne and dark-post-acne-spots until the cotton pads dry. In my experience, SK II does help my acne less swollen (not the acne which is large, firm, bump deep inside the skin kind of acne) and the best part is SK II helps my dark-post-acne-spots disappearing much much faster.

How do I get sample-sized product?
Usually, SK II give samples when they held event or after you buy certain amount of product. Just simply ask the beautician if they can give you sample. The sample not necessary a small sized FTE, it could be any of their product. It’s a gift anyway, why bother being picky? :D

What product will I suggest for people who’s SK II virgin?
The SK II Facial Treatment Essence for sure.

What product is my fave?
Absolutely the SK II Facial Treatment Essence. I purchased it within the SK II Pittera Essence Set.

Is it true that FTE works fast like magic?
It’s basically depend on everyone’s skin condition. My husband’s relative need months until her skin achieve its best condition. Since I often have acne because of my hormone problem, I can’t tell if I get acne because of my hormone or my skin was detoxify because of SK II. But what I noticed was my dark-post-acne-spots disappearing faster than usual. In less than one month usage, I already felt difference on my skin. It was more supple, and more dewy.

Does using FTE alone or SK II Pittera Essence Set alone can solve all my skin problems?
After almost a year usage, unfortunately I have to say it does not solved all my skin problem :( I still have large pores, and dark spot issue.

Then why still use FTE?
Because I see some good improvement on my skin condition; my skin now feels more supple, dewy, brighter and more healthy looking. And the best part is, SK II FTE quicken my dark-post-acne-spots healing process. In my experience, even though FTE doesn’t fix all my skin issue, it restore my skin to it’s best condition.Well, you see I put high hope in SK II FTE.

Do I combine other skin care product with SK II?
Yes I do. I use Viva Milk Cleanser, Hada Labo face wash, and moisturizer and sun block from Nivea – nothing super expensive though. And bear in mind, after using FTE you will still need to use moisturizer and sunblock on top it!

Am I still searching for skin care to solve my other skin problems?
Yes I do. I am still searching for an affordable but good quality product such as eye-cream, facial serum, and many more.

What if there is a better product than SK II FTE out there, will you switch to that?
The thing is, we girls are always in search for a better treatment. Even better if we can get bang for our bucks, aren’t we? But since I find SK II Pittera Essence is the best Essence I know for now, I’ll stick to it.

Jessy’s tips in searching for the best skin care for your skin: 1. Keep in mind that everyone’s skin types are different, so what works on me might not work as well on you. Understanding your skin type, its condition and its problem then find products that aim for that.

2. Eagerly learn about ingredient that suitable to improve your skin condition. Do some research (of both ingredients and products) prior any purchase.

3. Do allergic or spot test of any skin care or make up product before purchasing, especially if you have sensitive skin. Dot the product on the back of your ear. If any allergic reaction appears, discontinue usage.

4. Know when to stop. If your skin condition became worst even though the seller told you that it might be indicating that the product is working, well you should know better if you have to continue or stop using the product and directly consult to the expert.

Hope this post can help you be sure whether to give SK II a try or not. If you still have question, just leave a comment or email me on jessyiibrahim@gmail.com, I’ll try to answer my best. Just remember to always give the best gift for your skin. As what we do now will impact not only tomorrow, but years from now :)

Disclaimer:
This post is not sponsored, and it's based on my personal experience and judgment.
And because everyone's skin types & skin conditions are different, the end result may vary on each person.
I am not a skin expert nor cosmetic expert, if you have to please consult to the expert prior any purchase.

3 months ago, I bought a limited edition SK-II Facial Treatment Essence at Narita Airport’s Duty Free Shop. This purchase included a sample set which was a cool surprise because I have been contemplating whether or not I should purchase the following products.

Facial Treatment Cleansing Gel

Why I like it? I really wanted to love this product. And I guess it did what it was supposed to do. It melted away my eye makeup quite well without having to massage my eyelids too much. I applied some of the gel onto my palms and placed my palms onto my eyelids. I lightly pressed my palms for about 10 seconds and my eye makeup was gone.

Why I dislike it? As much as I wanted to be bias, I couldn’t help but criticize one of its ingredients. This product is not non-comedogenic. It contains mineral oil so this left white traces on my face which looked like lard (Yes, gross!). Residue from an oil cleanser is normal. But it should easily be removed when I use a cleanser. Sadly, the lardy residue on my face was quite resilient. Overall, SK-II’s Cleansing Gel is unsuited for my skin type so I will stick with The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil.

Facial Treatment Cleanser

For some reason, I already assumed I wouldn’t like this cleanser even before I used it. I just didn’t trust that SK-II put a lot of focus on their cleansers. They do an awesome job on their other products though.

Why I like it? It has a very faint smell unlike their other products which contain “smelly water” a.k.a. Pitera. I guess it’s an alright cleanser if you don’t wear makeup.

Why I dislike it? It does not foam up which makes me paranoid when I use it with Clarisonic Smart Profile. The device user manual emphasizes that it should be used on a wet face. And I feel that my face is not damp enough if I don’t use a foamy cleanser. Furthermore, it doesn’t leave my skin feeling squeaky clean like my other cleansers. I used this product right after the cleansing gel and it certainly wasn’t able to completely remove the cleansing gel’s residue on my hands and face.

Facial Treatment Clear Lotion

Why I like it? It contains Salicylic Acid. This helps prevent breakouts…so yay! It contains Pitera, the main reason why people purchase SK-II products…so yay again!

Why I dislike it? I don’t feel like it is worth the price. It contains Salicylic Acid but so does a lot of cheaper toners out there. It contains Pitera but so does SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence which I apply on my skin anyways and it even has a higher concentration. Perhaps if you have the luxury of using then product, then i’d say go for it. Otherwise, just use a different toner with the same main ingredient.

Today, I went for a Diamond Peel. I’ve been getting diamond peels about once a month for almost 6 years now. Today is the only time that my lovely aesthetician acknowledged how my skin is getting better. No more existing breakouts. No more underlying comedones. No more clogged pores. Although I am still struggling with other skin issues now, but i’ll save that rant for another post.

I’m not loyal to any specific brand for all of the other skincare products I use (i.e., cleanser, toner, serum, and moisturizer) but there are two very powerful products that I never replace even though I tailor my skincare routine depending on my current skin condition. My Clarisonic Smart Profile and SK-II Facial Treatment Essence. When those two are absent in my routine, then I can absolutely tell the difference on my skin’s texture. And I am very grateful that I found those two products.

I am not exaggerating when I use the adverb “very”. I used to live in a two storey house. Before going downstairs, I would pat some face powder on my face to make it look matte. Just as I arrive downstairs, my face would be completely shiny. Thank goodness I found a solution to this issue, a story that I will share in another post ;)

Non-sensitive

A number of aestheticians have told me that my skin is particularly resilient due to its oily nature. Thus, I have been instructed to exfoliate three times a week and it works well for me.

Nonetheless, I only use Skoah’s AHA Mask to chemically exfoliate my skin three times a week. Whenever I feel the need to use a scrub (e.g., St.Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub works best when I find protruding blackheads on my nose), I’d only exfoliate once that week.

Skin condition:

Visible clogged pores

Blackheads

Whiteheads

Papules

Pustules

Nodules

My skin color is quite pale with a hint of yellowing undertone. As a result, all of the skin problems I have/had are/were clearly visible. I used to live in a very warm and humid place so I disliked wearing makeup which could have covered my physical insecurities. But I refrained from using concealers/foundations because of my oily skin (retouching is such a pain) and fear of promoting more problems.

5 Reasons I have/had terrible skin?

1. Poor diet

As a student, I had a tight budget. I always opted for cheap alternatives to all of my cravings. My cupboard was stocked with canned goods and instant noodles.

Instead of coffee, my caffeine source is soda.

If I ate out, then I’d always end up ordering the yummiest deep-fried dish. My parents would have cringed if they knew how I ate during my university years.

2. Sleep-deprived

During weekdays, I’d usually have activities around campus which lead to a weird sleeping schedule. I’d arrive in my dorm around 9pm and I’d still have a ton of schoolwork to finish. After procrastinating and completing my assignments, I would proceed to stream TV series on my computer. By the time I am ready to sleep, it’s already past midnight and I’d have to wake up around 7:30am for class. On average, I only got 5-6 hours of sleep.

3. Sleeping on my tummy

Until now, I have yet to kick this habit. But I found a way to sort of minimize the damage this does to my skin. Back then, the laundry room on campus was not located within my dorm building. And the machines were pay-per-use. As a result, I only did laundry once a month. This means that I only change my bed sheets twice a month. But for someone who has a problematic skin and likes to put her face directly onto the pillow sheet, I should have been more conscious about my unsanitary practices.

Lucky for me, I now live in an apartment with an en suite washer/dryer. I change my pillowcase twice a week on average. Although I read somewhere that I should change it everyday. If I had the time and did not posses a conscience towards mother earth, then I would probably do that.

4. Inconsistent skincare regimen

I LOVE SEPHORA. Browsing their website is like a drug to me. And just like any addictive drug out there, I experienced terrible consequences. I switch skincare products like crazy. There would be days when I’d forbid myself from going on their website and I’d actually crave it. Yup, it was withdrawal with a capital “W”. Every time I read a good review about some new product, then I immediately add that to my shopping cart. It was horrible. Both my skin and bank account suffered.

5. Chronic stress

Stress was the #1 contributor of my breakouts. I was never an over-achiever in school. Getting straight-A’s never concerned me. However, I do love to get involved in extracurricular activities and I hate wasting weekends by staying in. Consequently, I had a ton of terrible habits that aggravated my skin.

I am very emphatic. Regardless if the problem directly affects me or not, I worry. So on top of skin problems, I always have tummy aches caused by the excessive release of stomach acids. I used to carry Tums everywhere I go because I had to constantly take them to function daily. This problem actually had three negative results:

pH imbalance on skin

Alarming acidity rate on my saliva that it actually caused minor burns on my teeth which produced irremovable white patches.

Irregular menstrual cycle

Which “miracle” products fixed my skin problem?

Birth control pills

Why I like it? Since I would only get my period every 3-5 months despite being abstinent, then this contributed to flare-ups on my skin. So my family doctor got me to take birth control pills to regulate my menstrual cycle. Now, I get my period every month.

Why I dislike it? I’ve read online that some birth control pills can cause hyper-pigmentation. I’ve raised this concern with my family doctor and he dismissed it confidently. But I can’t help but wonder because I have noticed an increase in freckles on my face. Although my freckles could also emerge due to past sun damage too. Ugh. It’s complicated. I can’t blame birth control pills as the cause but I also can’t erase my doubts. And I certainly do not want to stop taking birth control pills just to do a test. I’ve done that before. I stopped taking it out of hubris because I saw that my skin has cleared up. Wrong move. Of course my skin reverted back to its horrible state. Call it dependence but I will never stop taking birth control pills until I have to.

Isotretinoin

Why I like it? Okay, so I may have cheated a bit. If I was an athlete, then taking Isotretinoin would have been like taking steroids. But I succumbed to temptation in spite of its possible side-effects. I have been struggling with skin problems for more than decade. I’m not a teenager anymore. I don’t want to deal with humongous cystic acne on my forehead anymore. I just couldn’t deal with it anymore. I refuse to accept that having acne-filled skin is just my destiny. I made a personal choice in taking Isotretinoin and I do not encourage anyone to do the same. It is dangerous. Bottom line is that it worked for me. And I am happy with its results.

Why I dislike it? I learned a ton of lessons from usingIsotretinoin.

I had to be extra vigilant while I was on Isotretinoin. Indeed, I was more sensitive to the sun. I got a horrible sunburn despite wearing SPF 60 sunscreen all over my body. It has been 6 months since I got that sunburn and my skin has not completely recovered yet. Serves me right for being irresponsible.

During the 1st month on Isotretinoin, my skin went from very oily to combination. My chin became extremely dry and started flaking. During the 2nd month, my face became oily sans “very”. I guess even Isotretinoin couldn’t stop my sebum production. I expected my skin to go from very oily to dry. But I was proven wrong. My face was just that oily.

My lips got the worst of all the side effects. The skin peeled off and my lips were raw. To protect them, I used Neutrogena’s Revitalizing Lip Balm SPF 20 and added Vaseline Lip Therapy on top.

I was on Isotretinoin for 5 months. I had to have a ton of discipline to take it religiously the same time every single day.

Skoah AHA Mask

Thanks to my friend who used to work at Skoah, I got hooked. I’ve tried their facials (I used to have a membership) and a number of their products. And now that I am in between jobs, I had to give up some of my luxurious indulgences. As a result, I made a compromise. No more monthly facials. But I bought their AHA mask as my at-home exfoliator. I am on my 2nd jar and this certainly won’t be my last jar.

Why I like it? It works. It does not cause minor scratches on my face unlike facial scrubs during exfoliation. It smells nice. I can leave it on overnight because it dries up like a peel-off mask (but you can’t peel it off) so it does not damage my pillowcase. It’s not that expensive at CAD$35. In my experience, It’ll last for 3 months even though I use it 3 times a week.

Why I dislike it? It is too mild to remove protruding blackheads unlike facial scrubs. So as much as I rave about this product, I still turn to St.Ives Fresh Skin Apricot Scrub from time to time. And it is only available in North America.

The Face Shop Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil

Have you heard about the double-cleansing method that South Korean’s use to thoroughly wash their face at night? Well thanks to my KPop addiction, I read that one of my favorite singers who has porcelain skin (I’m not exaggerating. Google “Bae Suzy” from the girl group Miss A) uses face oil to melt away make up before using a facial cleanser.

Why I like it? It is a brilliant idea. Fighting oil with oil. Ever since I started working, I felt obligated to wear BB cream/Foundation everyday. Sue me for wanting to put my best face forward. Of course, this prompted me to seek out the best makeup remover because I know my skin will use this as an excuse to cause me more breakouts. When I read about the double-cleansing method, I wasn’t convinced right away. So I visited the nearest South Korean beauty product chain near my apartment which was The Face Shop. Their sales rep demonstrated how double-cleansing works. After that, all of my apprehensions faded away. I was sold. It also helped that they sell two types of cleansing oil. One is targeted for dry/combination skin and the other one is targeted for oily skin.

Why I dislike it? I had to add an extra step in my skincare routine. My dad already complained that I take too long in the washroom. I guess he just has to live with the fact that his youngest daughter is high maintenance. After all, I did inherit his skin problems. Was that too mean?

Clarisonic Smart Profile

This was certainly not an impulsive purchase. I did my research for 4 months and I knew Clarisonic devices received both positive and negative reviews. I also contemplated whether I should get a Clarisonic device or a Foreo Luna. In the end, I decided to purchase the Clarisonic Smart Profile because it seemed to have what I was searching for.

Why I like it ? I have read a few articles online that have contradicting statements. Some say that Clarisonic devices exfoliate the skin and some say that it doesn’t. In my non-expert opinion, it does not exfoliate the skin. Peeling does not occur when I use my Clarisonic device. My theory is that some people use Clarisonic devices in a way that exfoliates their skin even though it is not intended to be that way. For me, exposing my skin to Clarisonic’s sonic pulses unclogs my pores so that all subsequent products I apply on my skin will not be blocked by the impurities in my over-sized pores. In other words, it helps thoroughly clean my skin. That’s it.

Why I dislike it? The price. It was freaking expensive. Thank goodness I had a coupon. But even then, this was definitely a splurge. Plus, the brush-head needs to be replaced every 3 months. Although I’ve read a bunch of blogs that suggest rebelling against Clarisonic’s ploy to keep its customers giving them money and replace the brush only when the bristles are actually damaged. If they are still working well after 3 months, then keep them.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam

I am not kidding when I say that I have at least 10 different facial cleanser in my beauty arsenal. And I have tried a lot more than that in the past. I am proudly ashamed of being a beauty product hoarder. The point of putting this out there is to instill faith in my words when I say that Shiseido’s Brightening Cleansing Foam is the best cleanser I have ever used.

Why I like it? I am very picky when it comes to cleansers. I care about the smell, consistency, packaging, and etc. While Shiseido’s White Lucent Brightening Cleansing Foam does not meet all of the things I search for in a facial cleanser, it’s just that good to toss out. I like how I don’t need to use a lot and it still foams up really well. I like that its foamy nature makes it perfect to use with my Clarisonic Smart Profile. I like its smell despite numerous people commenting online that it’s too heavily scented. I like how it leaves my skin squeaky clean but not dry. I like how it removes all of the oily residue of The Face Shop’s Rice Water Bright Cleansing Light Oil on my face. I like Shiseido’s reputation and how their brand exudes quality.

Why I dislike it? I wish it had blemish-preventing properties. But it is solely targeted to prevent dark spots and hyper-pigmentation. It is priced at CAD$49.00 at Sephora. Although given that the 1-month supply (75mL) that came with the travel set has just started to become difficult to squeeze after 4 months, then I guess it’s not that expensive. I use that twice a day too.

Noxzema Anti-blemish Pads

Normally, I like to use only one line of products at a time. For instance, my toner would ideally be Shiseido’sWhite Lucent Brightening Softener since I am using their cleanser. Sadly, it does not have blemish-preventing ingredients. Thus, I am using Noxzema’s Anti-blemish Pads.

Why I like it? Perhaps this is the wrong reason to like this product but it leaves my face tingly due to its strong ingredients. This feeling makes me feel like it’s doing its job thoroughly. Best of all, it contains the main chemical that I seek in a toner, Salicylic acid. On top of that, they come in pre-soaked cotton pads so this product is perfect for my laziness. It’s cheap and easy to find in the supermarket.

Why I dislike it? Sometimes I feel that due to the tingly feeling it leaves my face then this product might be too harsh. I mean, it is targeted to teenagers with acne problems. I am way past the beginning of puberty. On the other hand, I have been using this product for over 4 years now and it hasn’t cause anything I can complain about so I guess it’s all in my head. The pessimist in me has always been raised to believe “if it’s too good to be true, then it’s too good to be true”.

SK-II Facial Treatment Essence

I feel like there are enough articles out there to convince everybody to grab a bottle of this “miracle water” if you can afford it so I won’t write too much about this for now.

Why I like it? It works.

Why I dislike it? It’s expensive and the packaging is awful. In fact, I followed Cate Blanchette’s tip by transferring its contents into a spray bottle.

Serumssssssssss

The only thing worse than my facial cleanser collection is my serum collection. I have a ton of ’em. Each serum targets different skin problems. I will save the details for another post.

Aloe Vera Gel

Since I use the term “miracle” earlier, then perhaps this is the product that deserves such a title.

Why I like it? It is such a versatile product. I can’t praise it enough. Since it is anti-bacterial and has moisturizing properties, it is perfect for my blemish-prone skin. Not only is it the cheapest product in my beauty arsenal but it also has the most use.

Soothes sunburned skin.

Hand Moisturizer – It doesn’t have a strong scent and it sort of double-cleanses my hands due to its anti-bacterial properties.

Face Moisturizer – Sometimes when I am feeling extremely lazy after work, then I would just wash my face and slather this all over my face. Done.

Face Primer – Other times, when I’m not completely concerned about my shiny face, then I’ll use this as a face primer. It does not do the best job in mattifying my skin, but it is enough for those days when I want to give my skin a break from cosmetics.

Why I dislike it?It is very sticky when I pour it out of the bottle. But it dries fast, so it’s not a big deal.

Neutrogena Clear Face Sunscreen SPF 55

Why I like it? This product is advertised as “break-out free” and it is 100% true for me. I’ve used this sunscreen for almost 10 months now and this has never caused me any breakouts. It also has a very light consistency unlike most sunscreens. And it is very affordable.

Why I dislike it? The quest for a mattifying sunscreen still continues.